Suction cleaner



Feb; 24,- 192s. 1,527,377

v V. ORR

SUCTION CLEANER Filed May 26,. 3921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

William V. Orr

A TTORNEY.

Feb. 24, 1925.

W. V. ORR

SUCTION CLEANER Filed May 26 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. William V. Orr

I ATTORNEY.

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WILLIAM V. ORR, O'F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

suc'rroiv CLEANER.

Application filed May 26, 1921. Serial No. 472,830.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM V. ORR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Suction Cleaners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to suction cleaners of the type wherein an electrically-operated suction-device is mounted for movement about the surface to be cleaned so as to present a collecting tool carried thereby to every part of such surface. The main objects of the invention are the provision of a device of this character wherein the collecting tool or nozzle is so mounted as to adapt itself automatically to inequalities in such surface or to the nature of the surface covering; the provision of a device of this character having the collecting tool or nozzle supported separately from the heavier parts so as to be less inclined to bury itself in heavy rugs or carpets and to be more easily pushed over the edges of the same; the pro-- vision of a collecting nozzle having a limited range of movement, in a vertical plane but without movement in any other plane; the provision of a movable collecting nozzle combined with an extension connection; the provision of a device embodying all the preceding advantages which shall also be simple, substantial, and reliable: while further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this application Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of my improved cleaner, the handle and bag being illustrated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view through the cleaner shown in Fig. l, the motor housing and fan casing being shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is a top plan View of part of my improved cleaner, the cover-plate being raised; Fig. 4 is a detail view corresponding to the line 4--4.- of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is adetail view showing the mode of applying the extension-hose connection to my improved cleaner,

Describing by reference characters the parts shown in the drawings, 1 represents a cylindrical fan-chamber having in one face theinlet-opening 2 and having secured opposits thereto the motor housing 3 Rotate bly mounted in the fan-chamber is the suction fan fl operatively connected to the motor, (not shown), which latter can be of any suitable or convenient type. One side of the fan-chamber is provided with the outlet neck 5 adapted to receive the mouth of the porous bag 6 or like dust arrestor.

This fan-chamber and motor-housing are connected rigidly together and are pro ferably supported upon a frame or chassis indicated generally at 8 and comprising an approximately triangular metallic frame having side members 9-9 connected by a cross-bar 10 at their forward ends and converging rearwardly to the vertical socket 11 in which is mounted the upright shank 12 of a castor l3, Journaled upon the forward ends of the arms 99 are the carrying wheels 14 14.- which cooperate with the castor 13 to provide a stable support for the cleaner-casing upon a horizontal surface. In the present embodiment this casing'is attached to the frame or chassis with its axis substantially horizontal although I do not limit myself to such an arrangement. To this end 1 form the lower side of the fan-casing 1 with integral ears 1'5 15 having suitable sockets receiving the ends of pivot screws 1616 mounted in the side members 99 of the frame, and I secure the rearward part of the -motor housing to the rearward part of the frame by means of a screw 17 with the interposition of suitable washers 18 whereby variations in shape and size can be overcome. The sides of the frame are provided with upwardly extending integral arms 20 -20 embracing the motor housing and having trunnions 21-21 at their ends on which are pivoted the forkarms 22 of the operating handle 23. The wheels 14: are here shown as located ahead of the fan casing 1, thereby providing increased stability, but I do not restrict myself to such frame or wheel arrangement except as set forth in my claims. \i

In. order to enable the cleaner to operate with equal facility upon different kinds of floor coverings and to clean eficiently an uneven floor, such as one partly bare and partly covered by rugs, l secure the nozzle movably to the cleaner, and one mode of doing so will now be described. Carried by the face of thefan chamber 1 at each side of the inlet opening 2 are spaced cheek pieces --25 to which is pivoted the shank por" tion 9% of the collecting nozzle which my present invention. For illustrative purposes I have chosen that construction where in two branched passage-ways lead from the inlet mouth to the fan opening, one of the same being indicated at 30. j

The shank portion 26 is formed with shoulders 3232 spaced slightly from the ends of the cheek pieces 25, and with a pair of spaced extensions 33-33 fitting between said cheek pieces and pivoted upon a horizontal pin 34 which is parallel to the inlet mouth 28 and to the axis of the wheels 14 and the pivot axis of the handle 23. The parts adjacent to the pin 34 are formed to interfit as shown at 35 and those furthest from the pin are formed withsmooth surfaces flush with each other adapted for contact with the cover plate 36 whose inner face is covered with a soft seating material 37 such as leather or the like. is pivoted atone side of the joint and is drawn so tightly to its seat by the suction of the cleaner as to prevent any material leakage of air, while permitting free movement of the nozzle.

In the present embodiment wherein the motorand fan casing are supported with the axis horizontal this cover is disposed upwardly and easily accessible at all times, wherefore I preferably combine withthese parts a hose-extension-provision although the same is not necessary to the use of my invention. To this end I form the inner faces of the cheek pieces 25 with vertical grooves 40 4O spaced a substantial distance from the wall of the fan casing to accommodate the cover 36 and adapted to receive the base plate 41 of the hose connection 42 as shown in Fig. 5, same being more particularly described in my II. S. Letters Patent No. 1,210,523, issued January 2, 1917. To accommodate the shank of this connection the nozzle is cut away as at 43 to provide an opening of considerable size, which, however, is overlapped by the cover 36 This cover plate .when the cleaner is used in the ordinary way as shown in Fig. 2.

The forward or working portion of the nozzle is supported on one or more auxiliary rollers 45? pivoted upon a horizontal transverse axis adjacent to the inlet mouth 28, thereby allowmg the nozzle to descend over the rugs and into the irregularities of the floor without obstruction, or to ride upwardly over the edges of the rugs and inequalities without the necessity of raising the entire cleaner casing. Also when operating upon soft rugs andv carpets into which the wheels 13 and 14 are sometimes pressed deeply by reason of the weight of the clean er and the thrust upon the handle, the wheels 45 because of the light weight thereon ride easily over the top without causing the nozzleto dig thereinto as it does when the nozzle is rigid with the cleaner casing. As a consequence I am able to dispense with the necessity for operating adjustments although my construction enables a very easy adjustment at the factory to overcome variations in size and shape of the castings, merely by inserting a greater or smaller number of washers at the point 18;it being noted that to lower the inlet mouth 28 it is necessary to remove washers and to raise the inlet mouth it is necessary to add wasl1- ers owing to the fact that the cleaner as a whole exhibits a compound-lever action with the intermediate fulcrum at 34. The shoulders 32 are so arranged as to permit upward movement of the nozzle to any height ordinarily met with I in practice, while the frame portion 10 is so located as to limit the downward movement of the nozzle when the cleaner is raised by means of the handle 23. i

I do not however restrict myself to this means of limiting the movement of the noz- 100 zle, nor do I restrict the use of my improved pivoted nozzle to cleaners of the horizontal type, nor to one in which the carrying wheels are mounted on an independent frame; also thesuction connection may or may not be 1 employed, and other means for sealing the joint and I do not restrict myself in any wise except as specifically recited in the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention what 110 I claim is:

1. A domestic suction cleaner comprising, in combination, a casing having therein a fan chamber and a motor, said fan chamber having an inlet passage, means including 115 at least three wheels for supporting said casing movably upon the working surface, a collecting nozzle communicating with said inlet passage and pivoted to said casing for movement in a vertical plane. and rollers carried by said nozzle whereby its working a point slightly removedfrom the wall of said fan chamber, a movable cover, and a o I hose connection adapted when said cover is displaced to be inserted between said cheek pieces into the space between said fan chamber and nozzle and to cut off communication with said nozzle without removing the same.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination, a casing having afan chamber and a motor housing in axial alignment, the side of said casing opposite s aid motor housing having two oppositely facing cheeks and an inlet opening between them, said cheeks having inwardly facing grooves adapted to receive a hose connection, a collecting nozzle pivoted between said cheeks outside of said grooves and having a recess for the accommodation of said hose con nection, and a movable cover adapted when the hose connection is removed to close said recess and the space between said cheeks in all pivoted positions of said nozzle.

4. In a suction cleaner, the combination of' a fan casing and driving motor rigidly connected together in axial alignment, said fan casing having an inlet opening on the side opposite to said motor, means for supporting said casing and motor in stable equilibrium upon a horizontal working surface with the common axis of said fan and motor in a fore-and-aft position, a handle for moving said casing and pivoted upon an axis transverse to said common axis, a collecting noz-' zle' communicating with said inlet opening and pivoted to said casing adjacent thereto upon an axis which is parallel with said handle axis, said nozzle thence extending outwardly and downwardly and terininatin in a downwardly facing inlet mouth, and means other than said casing support for shstaining the free end of said nozzle.

5; In a device of the character described,

in combination, a casing having a fan chamber and an inlet passage, the casing exterior having cheek-pieces at opposite sides of said passage, a nozzle pivoted to said cheekpieces at one side of said passage, said cheekpieces and nozzle beingformed with a flush surface at the side; furthest from the pivot axis, and a movable cover member engaging such surface and adapted to be drawn thereagainstby the suction.

6. In a suction cleaner, in combination a 'nozzlemeniber and a; supporting member WILLIAM V. ORR. 

